Kawakami finally wins, Braves beat Tigers 4-3

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ATLANTA(AP) -- Kenshin Kawakami could see Atlanta's relievers
pressing to protect his first win of the season.

After the Braves' bullpen gave up a homer and four walks in the
ninth inning, it was Kawakami who started to press as he said he
pleaded from the dugout, "Please finish, please finish. Get the
game out of the way."

Chipper Jones' three-run homer in the seventh gave Kawakami his
long-awaited victory, but only after the Braves escaped a
ninth-inning jam to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Saturday.

Peter Moylan struck out pinch-hitter Johnny Damon with the bases
loaded to end it, and Kawakami avoided the first 0-10 start in
Braves history. The right-hander trailed 1-0 when he left for a
pinch-hitter in the seventh.

Jones' homer off Joel Zumaya (2-1) later in the inning landed
about 10 rows deep in the center-field seats and drove in Gregor
Blanco and Melky Cabrera, who walked.

Kawakami (1-9), perhaps pitching to protect his spot in the
rotation, gave up only two hits and one run in seven innings,
his longest start this season. He walked three and struck out
six in his first win since Aug. 31, 2009, at Florida. He snapped
an 11-game losing streak.

Jones' fifth homer gave Atlanta a 3-1 lead. The Braves pushed it
to 4-1 in the eighth when Eric Hinske's double off Enrique
Gonzalez drove in Troy Glaus.

Braves closer Billy Wagner was not available for the ninth
because he was having a sore left ankle examined. He said he
expects to be ready to pitch on Sunday.

Without Wagner, who earned his 400th career save on Friday
night, the bullpen almost blew the lead.

Takashi Saito gave up Miguel Cabrera's 20th homer with one out
in the ninth, cutting it to 4-2. With two outs, Saito walked
Carlos Guillen and Brandon Inge. Eric O'Flaherty walked
pinch-hitter Danny Worth on four pitches to load the bases
before walking pinch-hitter Gerald Laird - the fourth straight
walk in the inning - to force in Guillen.

Moylan, Atlanta's third pitcher of the inning, finally ended the
game by getting Damon on a called third strike. It was Moylan's
first save since 2008.

The Tigers weren't happy with the call.

"We can't do it over again," Damon said. "I told (plate umpire
Gary Cederstrom) he missed it. I told him the pitch was
outside."

Detroit manager Jim Leyland said, "I don't need to comment. I
know it was outside. The pitch wasn't even close."

Holding his hands about a foot apart, Leyland said, "It was that
much outside."

Jones' homer set up a unique curtain call.

After his shot, Jones jogged onto the field for the eighth
inning, but his teammates remained in the dugout. Jones stood
alone in the infield for a long ovation from Braves fans. His
teammates finally ran onto the field after an embarrassed Jones
tipped his cap.

Jones said the ovation "was cool," but "I was red-faced. I
wanted everybody else to come out."

The first-place Braves moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Mets in
the NL East. The Tigers fell 1 1/2 games behind first-place
Minnesota in the AL Central.

Detroit's Max Scherzer gave up three hits and four walks with
eight strikeouts in 5 2-3 scoreless innings.

Kawakami gave up a single to Austin Jackson leading off the game
and then didn't allow another hit until the sixth, when the
Tigers took a 1-0 lead.

Jackson led off with a walk and advanced to second when Kawakami
couldn't field Ramon Santiago's bunt single. The runners
advanced on a wild pitch, and Jackson scored on Miguel Cabrera's
grounder to shortstop Yunel Escobar.

Despite the win, Kawakami's future in the Braves' rotation is
uncertain when right-hander Jair Jurrjens returns from a
strained left hamstring, possibly for Wednesday's start against
Washington.

Kris Medlen, who has filled in for Jurrjens, is 5-1 with a 3.15
ERA. Kawakami's ERA improved from 4.78 to 4.48.

Braves rookie Jason Heyward, in a 1-for-16 slump, was held out
until he was used as a pinch-runner for Hinske in the eighth.
Heyward remained in the game in right field. His batting average
has dropped from .301 on May 30 to .251 as he continues to be
bothered by a sore left thumb.

Heyward said after the game he does not expect to start on
Sunday and will have the thumb examined on Monday.

NOTES: Miguel Cabrera, who leads the AL with 63 RBIs, moved into
a tie with Toronto's Jose Bautista for the league lead in
homers. ... Jones has a 10-game hitting streak. ... Braves GM
Frank Wren and manager Bobby Cox presented Wagner with a crystal
baseball before the game in honor of the left-hander's 400th
save. ... Atlanta OF Matt Diaz began his injury rehab stint at
Triple-A Gwinnett.